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Wednesday, January 01, 2014

Bad Wolf by Nele Neuhause

I haven't read Snow White Must Die, so I didn't know what to expect in Bad Wolf. The novels are being translated into English out of sequence, and Snow White Must Die was the first in the series to be translated. Bad Wolf is the second. I always wonder how the publishers decide the order in which to translate and release a series of foreign novels....Bad Wolf is one of those crime/police procedural novels that deal with a horrific topic--the sexual and physical abuse of children. In this case, although detailed descriptions are quickly glossed over, the level of abuse disgusts and dismays the reader. The violence to adult women, however, is much more detailed and just as disturbing. My usual complaint about graphic violence remains in state.The novel does have a complex plot that ties together a great many different characters and their often unknowing connections to the international porn ring; however, there is a disjointed feeling in the quick changes from character to character that may be a result of translation...or not.The clues to those responsible are given early, so the reader has a good idea of at least a portion of the resolution, but the novel feels too long, occasionally losing intensity.I still intend to read Snow White Must Die at some point and then decide whether or not I want to continue with the series. Perhaps it is just the treatment of children and the feeling of dragging out the situation that made this novel less appealing to me.
------------Note: I read wrote this review in November, 2013, and on Dec. 14-- read Iliana's review of Snow White Must Die; second thoughts about reading it.NetGalley/St. Martin's Press/Minotaur BooksCrime. Jan. 21, 2014. Print version: 416 pages.